What countries have the most car accidents?

We might not be travelling abroad anytime soon but if you’re planning on driving abroad anytime in the future, it’s worth considering what you’re going to be letting yourself in for. Whilst in the UK, we might be relatively safe, with low overall road fatalities and the help of no win no fee solicitors to help us if out if we involved in an accident, the same isn’t necessarily true elsewhere.

Namibia

The World Health Organisation attests that Namibia holds the record for the highest number of road deaths at 45 people per 100,000 citizens every year. This is because the roads in the country are notoriously poor and there are many drivers coming into the region that are unaware or unprepared for the poor roads and the treacherous weather conditions. It’s also worth noting that Namibia is a notoriously war-afflicted and lawless society, which might have some impact on the numbers.

Thailand

Thailand is only slightly safer than Namibia, though the traffic in the country is significantly more congested. Indeed, in major cities such as Bangkok, it’s not uncommon to see traffic jams the stretch for miles. It’s one of the reasons why Tuk-Tuks have become such a popular alternative, as they are able to bob and weave around the traffic jams with relative ease. They can, however, also lead to their own accidents. Given that it’s considered a major tourist destination and developing country, Thailand is an incredibly dangerous place to drive.

Iran

It’s generally recommended to tourists not to travel by car in Iran as drivers in the country are notoriously lawless. The largest number now casualties tend to be pedestrians, as drivers are quite likely to overtake through runways and outright refuse to stop for pedestrians at crossings. It’s a dangerous country at the best of times but for drivers, it’s truly one of the worst.

Sudan

In Sudan, a lack of street lighting, bad cars (again with no MOT checks or similar) and poorly maintained roads mean there’s an average record of 36 deaths per 100,000 every year.

What about the UK?

In no way, shape or form are we saying that the UK is completely accident-free. Indeed, there were over 25,000 people seriously injured in 2018 alone in the country. However, there is a historically decent road safety record to consider and the fact that, in many foreign countries, safety measures are just not as stringent. In many countries, it’s not even mandatory for vehicles to have an annual MOT which means there could be thousands of un-roadworthy vehicles on the roads.

So, if you’re considering a driving holiday or need to travel for business in the near future, you might want to seriously reconsider your options.